Catrinas Tacos and Tequila Bar

Bienvenidos a Catrinas South Tampa
#Sayyestoautentico
Catrinas showcases the Fresh Traditional Mexican Gastronomic Thematic and the biggest Tequila selection of the Tampa Bay Area with higher quality local and imported ingredients in an upscale and artsy fare.
From fresh delicious citrusy ceviches to homemade moles and salsas, Catrinas will bring you through the North Country of Mexico Guadalajara, Jalisco (origin of the Mariachi and Tequila) to Baja California. Our traditional cuisine showcases chiles en nogada originated in Puebla Mexico, delicious and fresh Mexican sea food, slow-rosted pibil from the Mayan Peninsula and huitlacoche (a delicacy blue corn truffle) with a touch of Chef Tisbeth Mejia’s artsy and colorful unique elaboration. With our sea food selection we are committed to sourcing our fresh seafood proudly showcasing “The Catch of the Day” from local commercial fisherman, environmentally friendly and sustainable aquaculture farmers. Just the best of our clients from the sea at your plate, our seafood is brought in fresh and is hand cut on premises.
Catrinas also has a funky and eclectic art gallery inside promoting the festive Day of the Dead theme (Dia de Los Muertos), local artists and Chef Mejia own private Art by Tisbeth painting collection.

Chef Mejia is excited to stop by at our guest table and chat about our tradition, her food elaboration and family recipes.
Visit us and experience the authentic Mexican cuisine at another level.

Catrinas South Tampa,
Where Art and Food Mingle! #sayyestoautentico


BIOGRAPHY:
Tisbeth Mejia was born, in Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico literally and figuratively, into the grandma’s kitchen . She specialized in the Authentic Mexican Cooking. Tisbeth was raised in an environment that taught love for family, love for food, and love for Art; love all three. Tisbeth’s destiny was predetermined, she would be a chef and an artist.

A graduate of the Universidad de Guadalajara, Tisbeth was quickly recognized as a rising young talent in the culinary field. In January of 1990, Tisbeth open her first successfully sea food restaurant in Guadalajara, Mexico and sold it after 3 years to her business partner. Then, her second location opened doors in La Penita, Puerto Vallarta. Later, another 2 locations in Guadalajara and Michoacán Mexico. Inspired by her grandma’s sea food recipes, it incorporates the vibrant energy of the neighborhood with the relaxed intimacy and warmth of a Mexican Paladar. In 2001, Tisbeth arrived to the Tampa Bay area working on her Art side bringing her art to different galleries around Florida and Texas . With her new restaurant gallery venture, Tisbeth goes back to her roots to cook the Mexican food of her childhood with a fresh interpretation of grandma’s recipes.

OUR RESTAURANT BACKGROUND:

La Calavera Catrina ('The Elegant Skull') is a 1910 zinc etching by Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada. The image has since become a staple of Mexican imagery, and often is incorporated into artistic manifestations of the Day of the Dead in November, such as altars and calavera costumes. The etching was part of his series of calaveras, which were humorous images of contemporary figures depicted as skeletons, which often were accompanied by a poem

Two catrinas
Popularized by José Guadalupe Posada, this Catrina is the skeleton of an upper class woman, and one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations, which occur during two days, November 1 and November 2, corresponding with the Catholic holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Although these holy days have a long cultural history reaching into the prehistoric traditions of several European cultures, many aspects of the Mexican festival have indigenous origins in an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. After the conquest of Mexico, the Spanish superimposed their cultural traditions upon the similar Aztec festival and a synthesis occurred.

La Catrina, as it is commonly known, was a popular print in Posada's day, but soon faded from the popular memory. Along with the rest of Posada's prints, it was revived by French artist and art historian Jean Charlot shortly after the Mexican Revolution in the 1920s. La Catrina soon gained iconic status as a symbol of uniquely Mexican art and was reproduced en masse.

Posada was a cartoonist too, and for this, the main award of the Encuentro Internacional de Caricatura e Historieta (International Encounter of Cartoon and Comic) is called "The Catrina".